Be extra vigilant with the deep persistent slab problem. It is one of the most difficult problems to assess, predict, and manage due to the high degree of uncertainty involved.
Give yourself a wide margin for error & safely manage your team and terrain.
Be cautious in thin or variable snow spots.
This problem is low probability but high consequence as it would be releasing near the ground thus with a lot of destructive volume. Be extra cautious where snowpack goes from thick to thin areas.
Field team in Rampart area on Tuesday reported a few solar triggered size 1.5. Also, outside Lake Louise ski area on the Vortex run (Pipestone area) a skier triggered a size 2.5, took a 200m ride, buried up to waist, uninjured but lost equipment. It was a 40 degree slope, W-NW aspect, 2500m, 40-80cm deep crown, 60m wide, and 200m long releasing near the ground. It was triggered in a cross loaded shallow spot feature.
Surface hoar and/or surface faceting continue to grow and can be found up to 2700m and likely higher. Otherwise, surfaces are firm and wind impacted. Soft snow remains in sheltered areas. Solar slopes host variable old crusts, especially on steeper aspects. The snowpack is generally deeper in the Icefields and shallower at Maligne lake.
Dry, cold conditions are expected with a mix of sun and cloud. Isolated flurries Friday and Saturday may bring trace precipitation, with Sunday staying dry. Alpine temperatures remain cold, with lows near -14 °C and highs from about -14 °C to -9 °C. Winds are mostly light with occasional gusts to 30 km/h, and the freezing level stays at valley bottom.
